Retro deluxe
Retro watch from Panerai
Another design from a bygone era is wristwatches from Panerai. Such as the modern Panerai Radiomir California. The design itself dates back to Italy's fascist past, when Panerai created a diving watch with luminescent numerals for the Italian Navy.
The navy's historical archives show that in 1935, Giuseppe Panerai commissioned some carefully crafted prototypes to carry out technical tests: the best result turned out to be a watch with the reference 2533 created on the basis of the Rolex-Geneva and modified by Panerai himself.
A number of design elements can be found in the original diving watches supplied to the Italian Navy, such as the Californian Dial. Here, the hour numbers on the dial are marked with both Arabic and Roman numerals. The hours 3, 6 and 9 are replaced by a hyphen, while a triangle marks the 12 o'clock position.
The watch was relaunched in 2006 and immediately became a legend among watch enthusiasts. Perhaps that's why the price for a used watch is around 9,000 Pounds.
MORGAN SPORTS CAR
The sweeping lines of the vehicle have captivated drivers for more than 100 years. Hand-built by skilled carpenters, sheet metal workers and mechanics in the small town of Malvern in Worcestershire. An exceptionally beautiful sports car that has both raced on the track and been the vehicle of choice for sporty young gentlemen. It all started when Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan left his job at the Great Wester Railway in 1904 to pursue what he saw as the future of transportation: cars with internal combustion engines.
At first, he designed his own car, but in 1911 the first Morgan car hit the market. A three-wheeled, two-seater car with a seven-horsepower engine. The three-wheel design was chosen to get around British tax laws. With three wheels, it was considered a tax-free motorcycle.
The three-wheelers remained in production until the mid-1930s, when Morgan created one of the most iconic sports cars in history: the Morgan 4/4. Engine power was increased to no less than 34 hp.
The design has of course been adjusted over the years - and technological developments have kept pace with the times. Although to this day, Morgan sports cars are still built around an ash wood frame.
In 2019, a new version was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. The Morgan Plus Six is the name of a modern retro sports car that today is equipped with a BMW B48 turbocharged six-cylinder engine with 335 hp. But the ash wood frame is still one of the elements that makes it stand out from the crowd.
CUFFLINKS ARE PURE RETRO
If there's one piece of masculine attire that seems completely and utterly useless today, it's cufflinks. They are, by definition, retro. But there was a time when they were more necessary if you wanted to be properly dressed for the big parties. It was also a sign of neatness and smartness for office workers.
In fact, they've been around since the 1600s, but only really became popular in the late 1800s. Often made from precious metals such as silver and gold. And among the very richest, adorned with gemstones. However, it's a relatively simple device designed to close shirt sleeve cuffs. Today, they are available in quite simple designs at affordable prices.
But whether you choose a designer brand costing thousands of dollars or a cheap steel brand, it helps to lift the overall impression and signal 'self-confident man'.
ENGLISH MANOR HOUSE HUNTING
There are a few things you need when you're a hunter moving around the countryside in search of wild ducks or deer. You need to stay warm and dry. And your outfit should blend in with the landscape.
Today, it's almost comme il faut to wear a well-lined camouflage suit that's also fully waterproof. But there's another, more classic solution: an elegant, practical and comfortable tweed suit.
It is - possibly in combination with an almost equally classic oilskins jacket - almost a must for an English country house hunt. Although it was once considered to be a somewhat casual outdoor garment, it's been gaining popularity around the world. And over time, it's also become more stylish. At least in the British House of Lords, where members of the nobility often dress in tweed suits. Preferably woven in specific patterns that are passed down through the different families.
But tweed comes in many shapes and patterns. Checked or herringbone. And even without a pattern.
THE ATTACHÉ CASE? NEW HEYDAY?
There was a time when office work meant large amounts of paper in cardboard folders. Reports, accounts and important letters that had to be transported from office to office. And maybe even occasionally taken home when office hours didn't suffice.
Modern IT technology has turned this upside down. And in recent years, small, thin folders for our laptops or our iPads have gained popularity.
But the briefcase could do more than just transport paper. It could also exude power and competence. With a briefcase, you were in with the “In” crowd. It's also a great way to give your laptop a safe home. So maybe it deserves a comeback?